As understood in this document, a connecting terminal generally has several poles, to each of which a connecting lead can be attached in order to further transmit an electrical signal, specifically by clamping the lead to a contact element and fixing it in position there. As a rule, the electrical signal is then received from the contact element by one or more permanent or detachable electrical connections. Each pole of a connecting terminal thus corresponds to a clamping element, and the entire connecting terminal is constructed of a plurality of such clamping elements.
When connecting terminals are used to connect more than one connecting lead, and when circuit board connecting terminals, in particular, are used to connect a plurality of leads to circuit boards, it is often the case that two or more clamping elements must be electrically connected to each other in the connecting terminal. This is usually achieved by inserting a lead component that is bent into the shape of a U, or a stamped or punched part that has a U-shape, into the clamping point, where it is clamped into position. However, a problematic aspect of this procedure rests in the fact that an additional connecting lead must be attached to least one of the connected clamping points, which means that two elements must be clamped into position at this point. The result is that a secure contact for the two elements cannot be absolutely guaranteed, e.g., because the diameter of the U-shaped lead component or stamping may diverge from that of the connecting lead. Spring clamps, which are widely employed because of their unusually robust, economical, and easily handled clamping mechanism have proved to be particularly susceptible in this regard.
DE 10 2004 013 757 shows a way of circumventing this problem by installing separate electrical contacts when clamping elements of this kind must be linked together. Installation must be performed in advance, however. Moreover, the connection cannot be undone once it is made, and assembly costs consequently rise.